Radial-draft gear.



H. F. POPE. RADIAL DRAFT GEAR. AYPLIGATION FILED AMJ/1,1908.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES H. P..POPE. RADIAL DRAFT GEAR. APPLICATION PILPD A121144, 190B.

. Patented Aug. 8,1911.

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WITNESSES which is mounted `lo all whom 'it may concern:

UNTTED, sTaTns TATENT orrion.

HENRY F. POFE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 THE NATIONAL MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

RADIAL-DRAFT GEAR Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

Be it known that I, HENRY F. POPE, of Cleveland, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Radial-Draft Gears, of which the followin is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View showing my draft gear applied to a railway car; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view through a portion of the part which contains the draft rigging, show-l in in detail my improvement; Fig. 3 is a si e elevation of the parts shown in Fig. Q; and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views.

My invention relates to a radial draft gear for railway cars, that is to a draft gear thus adapt itself to the motion of the car as it travels around the curves of the track, being guided by connection with the car truck.

Heretofore such devices, as shown in the patents of H. T. Krakau, have usually been rovided with guiding springs extending diagonally from a middle point of the draft in a horizontal plane and gear to the truck frame.

'Ihe purpose of my invention is to improve the construction by providing means for guiding the draft gear more 'eiiciently'- For this purpose, I provide a forwardly eX- tending guiding frame, which is connected with the truck in such manner that it shall be rigid as regards lateral deflection, al though it is preferably capable of vertical motion in order to `accommodate itself to the relative vertical motion of the truck. This guiding frame is connected to the diaft gear by a connection which permits longitudinal motion' of the draft gear in butfing and draft yand by interposed spring mechanism which permits lateral deflection ofthe coupler relatively 4to said connection.

In the drawing, 2 represents the coupler head,v and 8 is the radial draft gear comprising telescopically connected parts, the part 3 carrying the coupler and the yoke or part 4a being pivotally mounted on the car frame at a point 4 between the sills 5 of the car, theconstruction being such that as the car moves around curves the draft gear will swing radially on the vertical pivot 4. In

the construction here shown-the spring rig-p ging against which the coupler operates in on the car frame to swing springs 10 whose inner ends act against oppressed.

bufling and draft is carried by the draft gear, but my invention is applicable not only to draft gears of this kind, but also to draft gears in which the spring rigging itself is carried by the ear frame and the' radial draft gear pivotally connected therewith as in the patent of Krakau, No. 900,024. I have therefore not shown the construct-ion of the draft gearin detail,`as it is not a limitingfeature of my invention. The guiding connection of the draft gear to the truck to which my invention relates, comprises a bail or guide 6 preferably of general trian gular or U form, which is pivotally connected on horizontal pivots 7 to the truck frame, and extends forwardly therefrom beneath the swinging draft gear 3Q It is provided with'a spring carrier 8, which supports a guiding pinor bolt 9 carrying the draft-gear supports the guides throughk the bolt 9 and its sleeve. g

The pivotal or loose connection which is necessary between the draft gear and the spring carrier 8 may be'formed in various ways. In the drawing, I have shown the de- A pending lug 12 as having a longitudinal slot i3. e On the bolt 9 is a sleeve 9EL having projections 9b Fig. 4C) which fit slidingly in the slot- 13, and the washers 11 are intertted with the projections 9b and are seated against the sides of the lug. The lugs 9b act as guides for the washers 11 and prevent them from turning when the springs 10 'are com- The slot permits free longitudinalmotion of the draft gear with the coupler in bufiing and draft, and the connection is such as to permit pivotal motion bet-Ween the draft gear and guide when the draft gear is deflected relatively to the-guide.1 ,The construction shown, being very advantageous, is made the subject of specific claim, although my broader claims are ,not limited thereto.

As the car passes around curvesthe coupler is guided radially by the motion of the truck acting upon the draft gear through the guide 6 and the springs 10; the springs per-KA and the yslotted connec- Y Y l. A radially' swinging draft gear, having a guiding connection withthe truck. consisting of a guide projecting from the'truck to a longitudinal slot in the draft gear, a

piece fitting in the slot and connected with the uide and carrying springs; substantially as escribed.

2. Al radially swinging draft gear, having a guiding connection with the truck, consisting of a guide project-ing from the truck, a longitudinal slot in the draft gear, a bolt and sleeve passing through the slot, and con- .nected with the guide and springs on the sleeve; substantially as described.

3. A radially swinging draft gear, having, a guiding connection with the truck, consisting of a guide projecting fromthe truck and substantially rigid as respects lateral motion independent of the truck, and a spring c9nnection between said guide and the draft member, said guide having a sliding and pivotal connectionwith the draft member, and

springs between the sliding connection and the guide; substantially as described.

4l. A radially swinging draft gea-r, having a guiding connection with the truck, consisting of a guide projecting from the truck and substantially rigid as respects lateral motion independent of the truck, and a spring connection between said guide and the draftmember, said guide hlaving a pivotal connection with the draft member; substantially as described.

A bottom plate for the frame of a radial draft gear having a downwardly projecting lug with a transverse elongated hole therethrough for passage of a trucleguiding member.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a truck guiding element consisting of an openl ended sleeve having opposite T-shaped projections intermediate of its ends.

ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. y

HENRY F. POPE.

Witnesses: TH'oMAs `W. BAKEWELL, H. M` 'Corwin 

